The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has constructed and handed over a fully furnished 10-bedroom teachers’ accommodation facility to the Kulpeliga Basic/JHS School in the Talensi District of the Upper East Region to improve teaching and learning.
The facility, which is fitted with beds and mattresses, ceiling fans, kitchen sinks, bathrooms, water closets, electricity, and a mechanized borehole with a water storage system, is expected to address accommodation challenges confronting teachers in the area.
The intervention follows a Joy News documentary titled “Crumbling Start”, produced in partnership with School for Life, which exposed the poor learning conditions at the school and the difficulties teachers faced commuting long distances daily to teach.
The report indicated how pupils of the school sat, squatted, and lay on the floor to study, while teachers spent about GH¢40 daily on fuel as they travelled for nearly an hour from Bolgatanga to Kulpeliga community.
Speaking during the handing over ceremony, Alexander Boateng, President of the Ghana Kumasi Mission of the Church, said the project formed part of the church’s humanitarian and charity interventions aimed at supporting needy communities.
“We are grateful to the community, the chiefs, authorities, and government officials for collaborating with us on this important project,” he said.
According to him, the church decided to undertake the project after its leaders saw media reports about the plight of the school.
“This project was aired on a media platform, and the leaders of the church saw it. They sent representatives to come here and meet the chief and look at how we can collaborate to undertake this project,” he explained.
President Boateng noted that the facility would not only benefit teachers and students but also encourage more teachers to accept postings to the area.
“We hope that it will be a blessing not only to the teachers and students, but also to the community, so that more teachers will come to this area to help the young ones gain the best education possible,” he added.
He explained that funding for the project came from contributions made by members of the church through monthly fasting and donations.
“Every month, the church sets aside one Sunday for members to fast and pray, and the money they would have used for meals is contributed to support humanitarian projects such as this,” he stated.
Headmaster of Kulpeliga JHS, Joseph Anyoka, described the project as a historic milestone for the school and community.
“This beautiful edifice is more than just a building; it is a symbol of hope, commitment, partnership, and investment in the future of education in this community,” he said.
He recounted the challenges teachers faced over the years due to lack of accommodation.
“Many of our teachers had to commute over long distances daily under difficult conditions just to impart knowledge to our children. This often resulted in fatigue, delays, and transportation costs which affected effective teaching and learning,” he stated.
Mr. Anyoka said the accommodation facility would improve punctuality, teacher commitment, supervision of pupils, and overall academic performance.
He also commended the church for donating 60 dual desks to support classroom teaching and learning.
“To School for Life and Joy News, we say thank you for the documentary which resulted in this major project in Kulpeliga School,” he added.
The Talensi District Chief Executive, John Millim Nabwomya, praised the church for its continued support to the district.
“This project is not just a structure of cement and roofing sheets; it is an investment in education, teacher welfare, and the future of our children in Talensi,” he said.
He noted that access to decent accommodation remained one of the major challenges affecting teacher retention in rural communities and described the intervention as timely.
Mr. Nabwomya further acknowledged the church’s previous support to farmer-based organizations and other community development initiatives in the district.
He urged school authorities and the community to maintain the facility properly to ensure it serves generations of teachers and pupils.
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